


a misplaced story

by ayebydan



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-27 03:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20941430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ayebydan/pseuds/ayebydan
Summary: Hermione returns to her parents after her first terms at Hogwarts. All has changed. Some her parents find for good and some they just can't understand.





	a misplaced story

**Author's Note:**

> For my darling and wonderful @cloudsinvenice who I wish the best health she can get always. Prompt 'Hermione's first holiday home'

If one is to be technical about it then Hermione Granger's first holiday home after beginning at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is in the Christmas, or Yule, holidays of that first year. Looking back however Hermione is not sure that should count as such. Everything had been so exciting and while her classes were not what her neighbour down the road who also went to boarding school were talking about they were equally as enthusiastic. Her parents were just happy to see her and it was truly wonderful for them to hear that their daughter had made true friends. 

For the first time their daughter had come to them and asked for money to buy gifts for two young friends. Added to that joy was finding out that these children were not like Hermione. It was not a case of those in a new world sticking together. Though they never learned that Harry was important they knew he had a magical parent and one like Hermione and that this young Ron came from generations of wizards. Hermione still fit in. So she researched for a wizard claiming the trio had heard about him in history but after their teacher didn't elaborate were curious. She was home and when she wasn't home, they finally felt their child had a place. 

The summer is different. Hermione is different. Older. More serious. More defensive of her friends. Where before her mother might have persuaded her to attend a local social event now Hermione refuses stating its futility. She doesn't know these people. She can't relate to them over maths or chemistry or whatever boring book they read in Literature class. Her mother reminds her she has probably read it anyway only for the youngster to point out that remind them she is a bookworm while having no idea what chemicals react together won't help her make a summer friend. And she doesn't want one anyway, if anyone bothered to_ ask_. The best Hermione can now do is talk about witches from days gone past that are also part of Muggle legend. That is also strained as she is reminded that people like them burned people like her for being different. She has always been on the outside for being _different_. 

Her smile is overly stretched as she lies to one family member after another about where she has been and what she has learned. Shopping with her mother is awful because nothing in fashion to Dr Granger will pass at Hogwarts. Her mother wants to spoil her but Hermione prefers the charity shops for things more likely to fit in on the weekend. Not that she cares about fashion or her looks. Her mother goes on about relaxing and Hermione struggles to tell her that books will do that. It is not her _still_ reading if she can pass a textbook over for a murder mystery novel to curl up with at the end of the night while the boys play chess. 

Her parents hate talking about how Hermione begins to look happier to see an exhausted owl all but crash into their fruit bowl every few days than to see her own parents come home from work. Ron does not say much and every word is like pulling teeth but it gives her _something_ to hold on to. The promise of the Alley and being back in their world, her world, means so much to her. She frets about Harry but tries to cover it and instead hopes that the trip out and meeting the Weasleys will help her family. While so much of the magical world is different there are so many things that are the same. 

It does not help.

Her family is just shaken. 

They talk in whispers that Hermione hides away from. It only confirms what she already feared; she no longer belongs here.


End file.
